At the STAR Health Centers you can expect state-of-the art medical care with staff who will treat you with respect and kindness.
The STAR Health Centers aim to be your one stop shop for services that support your mental, physical, and sexual health. Team members can assist you with insurance, transportation, housing, employment, education, counseling, and much more. Together, we will create a plan that prioritizes your health and lifestyle goals!
It is easy to become a patient at the STAR Health Centers. Just call 718.270.3745 for STAR – Downstate or 718.240.8233 for STAR-Brookdale. The first time you call you will be asked questions about your contact information, insurance, and how you heard about us. We may also ask you some questions to help determine the best provider to meet your needs. To help you and your provider make the best decisions about your treatment plan, you may be asked to come for a blood test 2 weeks before your medical visit.
A team of medical providers, nurses, case managers, mental health counselors, a nutritionist, a clinical pharmacist, and clerical staff are available to provide your complete care at the STAR Health Centers. During your first visit, you will be given the opportunity to let us know your preferences regarding language and gender of your medical provider, and we will do our best to accommodate these preferences, depending on provider availability.
You have been asked to sign a release of medical records form so we can get your medical information from other health care providers to ensure continuity of care. Please let your case manager know if you are working with outside case managers and medical providers so we can communicate with them to ensure you receive all of the care you need. Whenever you receive treatment from another provider, it would be helpful if you brought all relevant paperwork about follow-up care to your next STAR appointment
Please make sure to let us know right away if you have changed your address or phone number. The clerical staff will ask you for the best number to contact you during the first visit and at EVERY visit, so your providers can reach you for follow-up of test results and appointment reminders.
If you do not have medical insurance, your case manager will work with you to get insurance. Please provide the documents needed to process the application on time in order to avoid any delays in getting medical care or medications.
We have medical interpretation services that can help you if you speak other languages or need vision or hearing assistance. If we think we are unable to provide you with the best care, we will help you find a provider that is better able to provide you with the special services you need.
For your travel, a MetroCard is given on the days of your lab work, medical, or in-person mental health appointments. MetroCards are not given for any other clinic visit or for prescription pick up.
Personal Health Plan (Self-Management) & Referrals to Other Specialists
Your medical provider will develop an individual health plan with you. If needed, they may refer you to see specialists such as the cardiologist (heart), nephrologist (kidney), diabetes specialist, or dentist. It is important that you follow through with these referrals.
Clinical Advice During and After Office Hours
During regular clinic hours, call 718-270-3745 and ask to speak with a nurse (or press option 2 when prompted). The nurse will assess and address your concerns. After regular business hours, please call 718-270-2121 and ask to speak with the STAR Health Center clinician on-call and your call will be answered within one hour. If you have a medical or psychiatric emergency, please call 911 or come to the Emergency Department. [NEED BROOKDALE INFO].
Medical Appointments
You will be seeing your medical provider at least twice per year. Depending on your health, your provider may ask you to come more frequently. You will receive a reminder call 2 days before your appointment. If you cannot come to your appointment, please call the clinic to reschedule your appointment: for STAR-Downstate, 718-270-3745 (option 1); for STAR-Brookdale 718-240-8233.
Lab/Blood Work
Your medical provider will ask you to have a blood test close to the time of your medical visit. If you are unable to keep your lab work appointment, please call us.
Annual Visit to Assess Important Aspects of Health
Once a year, you will have a visit to assess important aspects of health. During this visit you will meet with a nurse, provider, and case manager. You may also meet with the nutritionist and/or the clinical pharmacist, You should plan for this visit to take approximately 2 hours.
Walk-In Service
If you have an urgent medical problem, you can come to the clinic on the days when you don’t have a scheduled medical visit. If we determine your medical condition is life-threatening, you may be sent to the emergency room. If your problem is not an emergency, you may have to wait until after the providers see their scheduled patients. If you have a routine or non-urgent medical issue, please do not come in as a walk-in.
Prescriptions
STAR Health Centers will send your prescriptions electronically to the pharmacy you identify to us. If you have refills, you can call the pharmacy directly for your next month supply. Our turn-around time to write refill prescriptions is 24-48 hours. There may be a time where a prescription you need may require Prior Authorization; if so, we will let you know. This process can take longer than 24-48 hours as it requires your insurance coverage to provide approval for the medication. In certain situations, including if you have not completed bloodwork and/or seen your medical provider for a prolonged period, the provider may not send electronic prescriptions until you have completed blood work and/or a medical visit to evaluate how you are doing.
Pain Management
Some pain medicines, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, may be prescribed to you through STAR. If your pain continues, your provider may refer you to a pain management clinic. The specialists in the pain management clinic will then take care of your pain and related concerns. You will need to continue to see the pain management specialist on a regular basis in order to receive the pain medicines to control your pain. In special cases, your provider may prescribe a medicine to help with your pain until you meet with a Pain Management Specialist.
Behavioral Health Care
Mental health services are offered voluntarily as part of your care. These services include counseling, psychiatric services, and support groups. If you are interested in learning more about these services, please let your medical provider or another staff member know.
Case Management
The case management team will help you obtain the social services you may need. Case managers can refer you to organizations for services such as housing, legal counseling, and food programs among other services. Case Managers can assist with completing social service forms, which often take a few days to complete. It takes us 5 business days to complete forms. It is important for you to provide us with any required forms as soon as possible.
The STAR Health Centers receive public funding from federal, state and local sources as well as private funding to support specialized health services. As a recipient of this funding, we must guarantee that we provide care to people regardless of their ability to pay. In order to demonstrate this, we are required to ask our patients for documentation that confirms they meet the income and residency requirements for our services. If you should need further information about this or have any questions, please see one of our Case Managers.
